Ohio State welcomes best-prepared first year class ever

COLUMBUS – For the eleventh straight year, Ohio State will welcome the brightest class of first-year students ever based on a variety of scores and measures, according to Mabel Freeman, assistant vice president for Undergraduate Admissions and First Year Experience.

According to projected figures, the entering class reports a higher average ACT score (25.8, compared to 25.6 in 2004), higher average SAT score (1190, compared with 1180 in 2004) and higher percentages of students ranked in the top 10 percent and 25 percent of their high school classes (more than 38 percent and more than 78 percent, respectively, over 35 and 71 in 2004).

“We are seeing more and more really bright students apply to Ohio State,” said Freeman. “There is a real energy at this university right now with our strong academic programs and new buildings to attract and retain students, and they want to be a part of it.”

Because official student enrollment figures are not certified until the 15th day of the quarter, the figures are projections based on data from students who have indicated they will attend.

The freshman class enrollment as of mid-August was estimated at approximately 5,875 students -- compared to the 5,980 freshmen enrolled last year. Final enrollment figures will not be available until mid-October.

It is one of the smallest first year classes in the Big Ten.

“The smaller class does not mean that the university is down in any way,” Freeman said. She notes that while Ohio State freshman enrollment has remained steady at about 5,800 students, improved retention means higher numbers are enrolled in the upper classes.

The freshman retention rate this year also is a record 89 percent of students who entered last year have returned for a second year. Since 1995, the retention rate has steadily improved from 79 percent. The national average among public universities is 74 percent.

Freeman says there is a strong relationship between an ever better-prepared freshman class and a record retention rate.

“There's an incredible domino effect. One reason you have higher retention is you're bringing in stronger students. It is also a reflection of the campus-wide effort to address the needs of students who transition here, to help them adjust and meet the academic challenges of the first year. So bringing in stronger students and taking better care of students means more students stay and graduate.

“I always tell students at convocation, that while it's commendable to get into Ohio State, it's even more important to graduate and that is our overall goal.”

The improved academic profile of students is translating into higher four- and six-year graduation rates. In 1994, the four-year graduation rate was 19.3 percent; the six-year rate was 55.2 percent. By 2004, the four-year graduation rate had doubled to 39.1 percent and the six-year rate had improved to 62.8 percent.

Even though enrollment has remained fairly steady (1994 Columbus campus enrollment was 49,542 compared with 50,995 in 2004), the size of the graduating classes has been steadily increasing. Each of the last three spring graduating classes has set new records, with 6,772 graduates in 2003, 7,225 in 2004 and a record 7,368 students in 2005.

The improved measures may also affect national rankings. Last month, Ohio State was named Ohio's top public institution and ranked number 21 nationally by U.S. News and World Report. In computing the rankings, the publication looks at indicators of academic quality such as freshman retention, test scores, percent of top students in the freshman class and graduation rates. Ohio State's ranking is based on 2004 figures, which are lower than new 2005 measures.

The incoming class also will be more diverse than last year's class. Officials are projecting a 4.5-5 percent increase in enrollment of new African American students and a 7-9 percent increase in Hispanic enrollment. Overall, officials are projecting 16-16.5 percent students of color in the freshman class, compared to 15 percent in 2004.

To improve recruitment of minority students, the Office of Minority Affairs along with the Office of Undergraduate Admissions has embarked on a campus-wide partnership to reach potential students. Tactics include a radio campaign targeted to minority teens with messages reminding students that going to college is an important goal and that they should finish high school and take the SAT or ACT early. Other initiatives include a brochure titled “Making our Voices Heard” in which current minority students talk about their experiences at Ohio State.

Freeman says the process of recruiting the freshman class of 2006 has already started, with emphasis on students who are academically prepared to be at a major research university.

“We will always give the most emphasis to how the student performed on their high school college preparatory curriculum,” Freeman said. “That gets the strongest emphasis in the admissions process. We also look at ACT and SAT scores. We do a holistic review and therefore it's important to see what kind of leadership roles, activities, work experiences and community experiences a student has had.”